Return by Dawn (
Summary[]
Sakonji receiving the message from Giyu.
An old man wearing a tengu mask receives a letter from a crow sent by Giyu. Giyu states that a young boy whose family was slaughtered by a demon is on his way to meet him, wanting to become a Demon Slayer. Within the letter, Giyu additionally explains the boy's sister was turned into a demon; however believing she will not harm humans. He also observes that the boy possesses the same sharpened sense of smell as Sakonji does and requests that he train him, believing he could potentially grow to become the old man's successor.
Remembering this letter, the man now looks at Tanjiro as he is about to finish off the demon he has just restrained with a small knife. Tanjiro notes his strange mask, remembering how he never noticed the man's presence at all as his footsteps were so light. The boy asks him on the proper course of action but the man tells him not to trust what others say, claiming he must solve this alone.
Tanjiro spots a rock nearby and decides that instead of the knife, assuming he could use the rock to crush the demon's skull repeatedly until it eventually dies. However, before he is able to act, he feels a pang of sympathy imagining how much pain the demon would suffer and tries to think of a less painful method to kill it in one blow. Upon detecting Tanjiro's hesitation, Sakonji realizes Tanjiro's scent is overflowing with empathy, reluctance, and kindness even towards a demon, berating Giyu in his mind as he believes that Tanjiro isn't a suitable candidate. The demon then awakens and weakly tries to grab at Tanjiro.
Sakonji slapping Tanjiro for hesitating.
As Tanjiro continues to hesitate with making a move, the first rays of sunlight appear and instantly burn the demon to ashes, causing Tanjiro to realize why Nezuko dislikes the sun so much: Nezuko, inside the temple, has crawled back inside her basket to avoid the sunlight. Meanwhile, Sakonji gives the deceased a proper burial within the outside area. When Tanjiro approaches the man, he introduces himself as Sakonji Urokodaki but before Tanjiro has the opportunity to properly introduce himself and his sister, Sakonji questions Tanjiro on what he would do if his sister ever devoured a human being. Tanjiro pauses before answering and Sakonji slaps him, reprimanding him for being too hesitant to give a quicker response.
He tells Tanjiro that in the event of his sister ever eating a human being, he should kill her and then kill himself, as he conveys that is the reality of travelling with a demon-turned sibling. Sakonji firmly claims he must never let Nezuko take an innocent life, asking if Tanjiro understands him. Understanding the fundamental threat and danger of what he is doing, Tanjiro acknowledges. With his answer, the man tells him he will test his resolve to see if he is fit to be a Demon Slayer.
Tanjiro running after Sakonji.
Running in the middle of the day, Sakonji's speed makes it difficult for Tanjiro to follow after him. As he is running, Tanjiro feels sorry for Nezuko as she is being jostled around inside the basket. He recalls Nezuko always being patient whilst enduring hardships throughout her whole life. For the sake of their siblings, Nezuko had refused to buy new clothes in order to buy more food for them instead. Tanjiro firmly vows to turn her back into a human and give everything to her with the intent of redeeming himself for the things he is unable to do now for his deceased siblings. They soon reach a hut and Tanjiro breathlessly asks whether he had passed the test but Sakonji tells him that the test has only just begun, ordering him to ascend the mountain. Upon hearing these words, Tanjiro is dumbfounded but complies.
After leaving Nezuko in the hut, the pair head up the mountain. After a while, Tanjiro feels that his legs are tired to the point where he is unable to move them and his head grows dizzy. Upon reaching a certain point, Sakonji reveals to Tanjiro that the test is for him to reach the bottom of the mountain to where his house is, declaring he will not wait until dawn for him this time as Sakonji then vanishes within the haze. Surprised that the test is so simple, Tanjiro believes his sense of smell would make it a breeze and begins following Sakonji's scent. However, just as he takes a step, Tanjiro's foot gets caught into a trap which launches small rocks towards him. He then falls into a hidden pitfall, before he then accidentally triggers another trap right after crawling out, releasing a tied log that hits him from behind.
Tanjiro successfully returns.
Tanjiro grasps the possibility that he would not be able to reach the foot of the mountain by dawn if he continues to get caught in these traps. Moreover, the mountain's air is thinner than where he had lived before, causing him to have difficulties of breathing normally. Feeling desperate, Tanjiro wonders if he could truly make it back in time before steadying himself and tells himself with determination that he must make it back. By adjusting his breathing and concentrating, he attempts to smell out the distinctly different hidden human traps in the surroundings. Even so, he is not agile enough to avoid all of them.
Meanwhile, by the foot of the mountain, Sakonji places a blanket over the sleeping Nezuko. He suddenly hears some noise by his door and sees it open to discover a bloodied and battered Tanjiro panting heavily. As he slumps down to the ground, Tanjiro states he successfully made it back. As the morning sun begins to rise, Sakonji informs Tanjiro that he has now acknowledged him as his student.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
Events[]
- Tanjiro realizes that demons burn and turn into ash when exposed to sunlight.
- Sakonji challenges Tanjiro to determine if he has the resolve to be trained by him.
- Tanjiro successfully passes Sakonji's test and the man accepts him as his student.